Proposed Bylaws Changes – 2020

Greetings from the Board Governance Committee!  We have two proposed bylaws changes for the membership to review and vote upon at the Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 14. For your reference, the Bylaws and the Society Policy Manual are both available on the website at https://ethicalstl.org/our-congregation/governance/.

Replace “Executive Leader” with “Ministry Team Leader”: Sections 2.1, 2.4, 4.2, 4.3

The Ethical Society Policy Manual and the Bylaws have differing naming structures for the exact same position.  According to the Bylaws, Kate Lovelady is the “Executive Leader;” according to the Policy Manual, she is the “Ministry Team Leader.” The Governance Committee recommends changing the Bylaws language from Executive Leader to Ministry Team Leader, so that the job title is consistent throughout the Society materials.  The Board proposes changing the wording in all four places in the Bylaws where an Executive Leader is mentioned: Bylaws Sections 2.1, 2.4, 4.2, and 4.3.

Members Vote Out Trustees: Section 5.4

The Bylaws do not have a mechanism for Society members to remove Trustees from the Board.  The Ethical Society supports democratic principles and, as such, should have a way for the membership to remove Trustees, if needed. The Governance Committee recommends adding this language to Section 5.4:  “In addition, an Officer or Trustee may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Active Membership attending a regular membership meeting or Special Membership Meeting, called either by the Board or by 15 Active Members of the congregation.”

Please share your thoughts or questions with our Governance Committee Chair, Krystal White, and come prepared to vote on these two proposed Bylaws changes at the Annual Meeting on Thursday, 14 May.